Treatment machine of a medical apparatus

ABSTRACT

A treatment machine for a medical apparatus having inner portions and outer portions, contains a hollow vessel for receiving the medical apparatus, a first treatment system for treating the inner portions and a second treatment system for treating the outer portions. The first treatment system includes: an element for connecting at least one end piece of the medical apparatus to circulate treatment liquid in its inner portion, and the second treatment system includes: at least one spray nozzle for receiving and projecting vigorously at least one pressurized treatment liquid into the volume of the vessel to treat the outer portions of the medical apparatus and the inner surfaces of the vessel by spraying while creating a mechanical and chemical effect, and at least one element for filling the vessel with treatment liquid, to treat the outer portions of the medical apparatus and the inner surfaces of the vessel by immersing.

This patent application claims the priority of the patent application FR11/01734 filed on 6 Jun. 2011, whose content is integrated to thispatent application by way of reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed in the present invention is a treatment machine of a medicalapparatus, such as a flexible endoscope.

BACKGROUND

In the field of treatment of medical apparatus, the use of treatmentmachines and of automation have provided with respect to manualtreatment, better performances with increased repeatability, reducedtreatment time, while reducing potentially dangerous exposure of thestaff to cleaning products.

A processing machine performs a succession of cleaning and disinfectionoperations in a set order. It must meet the regulatory constraints asspecified in the standards ISO 15883-1 and ISO 15883-4.

The treatment machines known today operate, for the inner portions aswell as for the outer portions of the medical apparatus, by immersingsaid medical apparatus into the cleaning/disinfection products, whereastreating the inner portions of the medical apparatus consists in passingsaid cleaning/disinfection products into the channels of the medicalapparatus. As said treatment products cannot be re-used from one medicalapparatus to the other, immersing causes excessive consumption of thetreatment products. This leads to high purchasing costs of the products,to which post-treatment costs can be added, since said products arepotentially polluting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention remedies these various shortcomings.

A first object of the invention is directed to a processing machine fora medical apparatus (2) comprising inner portions and outer portions,such as a flexible endoscope, whereas said machine contains a hollowvessel (3) capable of receiving said medical apparatus (2), a firsttreatment system (4) capable of treating the inner portions of themedical apparatus (2) and a second treatment system capable of treatingthe outer portions of the medical apparatus (2), wherein:

said first treatment system comprises a means for connecting at leastone end piece of the medical apparatus so as to enable treatment liquidto circulate in its inner portion, preferably a means for connecting thedifferent end pieces of the medical apparatus (2) so as to establish thecirculation of treatment liquid in a leak-proof manner and in that saidsecond treatment system comprises:

-   -   at least one spray nozzle (6) capable of receiving at least one        pressurised treatment liquid and of projecting vigorously said        treatment liquid into the volume of the vessel (3), so as to        perform a treatment of the outer portions of the medical        apparatus (2) and of the inner surfaces of the vessel (3) by        spraying while creating a mechanical effect and a chemical        effect,    -   still at least one means for filling the vessel (3)capable of        filling, at least partially, said vessel (3) with at least one        treatment liquid, so as to perform a treatment of the outer        portions of the medical apparatus (2) and the inner surfaces of        the vessel (3) by immersing, at least partially.

A second object of the invention is directed to a method for treating amedical apparatus (2) comprising inner portions and outer portions, suchas a flexible endoscope, by means of a machine as defined in the claim1, including the following steps:

-   -   spraying the outer portions of the medical apparatus (2) and the        inner surfaces of the vessel (3) with at least one treatment        liquid by means of at least one spray nozzle (6),    -   immersing, at least partially, the outer portions of the medical        apparatus (2) and the inner surfaces of the vessel (3) into at        least one treatment liquid by filling, at least partially, the        vessel (3) by means of said filling means, whereas said        immersing step is performed prior, concomitantly or posterior to        the spray step,    -   treating the inner portions of the medical apparatus using the        first treatment system (4) comprising a means for connecting at        least one end piece of the medical apparatus so as to enable        treatment liquid to circulate in its inner portion, preferably a        means for connecting the different end pieces of the medical        apparatus (2) so as to establish a circulation of treatment        liquid in a leak-proof manner, whereas said treatment step is        performed prior, concomitantly or posterior to the spray and/or        immersing steps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents an open top view of a treatment machine with a medicalapparatus in position.

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of a spray nozzle according to anembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a treatment machine for a medical apparatuscomprising inner portions and outer portions, such as a flexibleendoscope, whereas said machine contains a hollow vessel capable ofreceiving said medical apparatus, a first treatment system capable oftreating the inner portions of the medical apparatus and a secondtreatment system capable of treating the outer portions of the medicalapparatus, characterised in that: said first treatment system comprisesa means for connecting at least one end piece of the medical apparatusso as to enable treatment liquid to circulate in its inner portion,preferably a means for connecting the different end pieces of themedical apparatus so as to establish the circulation of treatment liquidin a leak-proof manner and in that said second treatment systemcomprises:

-   -   at least one spray nozzle capable of receiving at least one        pressurised treatment liquid and of projecting vigorously said        treatment liquid into the volume of the vessel, so as to perform        a treatment of the outer portions of the medical apparatus and        of the inner surfaces of the vessel by spraying while creating a        mechanical effect and a chemical effect,    -   still at least one means for filling the vessel capable of        filling, at least partially, said vessel with at least one        treatment liquid, so as to perform a treatment of the outer        portions of the medical apparatus and the inner surfaces of the        vessel by immersing, at least partially.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the vessel issubstantially elliptical in shape and the second treatment systemcomprises two spray nozzles more or less arranged in the focal points.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the spray nozzlecomprises a base for fastening the spray nozzle to the bottom of thevessel and for fluidic connection of the spray nozzle to a device fordispensing the pressurised treatment liquid and a diffuser forprojecting said treatment liquid.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the base comprisesa removable fastening means to the bottom of the vessel. Advantageouslyaccording to the invention, the base is substantially conical, is notintegral with the vessel and comprises a removable fastening means tothe bottom of the vessel.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the diffuser issubstantially cylindrical, the cylindrical surface is drilled with aplurality of holes linking an axial duct connected to said device fordispensing the pressurised treatment liquid outside the spray nozzle.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the holes aredistributed regularly over the cylindrical surface.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the axes of theholes are radial and perpendicular to the axis of the diffuser.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the diffuser isimmovable relative to the base, so that the holes remain immovablerelative to the vessel during the operation of the treatment machine.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the distal end ofthe diffuser is drilled with an orifice connecting said axial ductoutside the spray nozzle.

The invention still relates to a method for treating a medical apparatuscomprising inner portions and outer portions, such as a flexibleendoscope, by means of a machine according to the invention, includingthe following steps:

-   -   spraying the outer portions of the medical apparatus and the        inner surfaces of the vessel with at least one treatment liquid        by means of at least one spray nozzle,    -   immersing, at least partially, the outer portions of the medical        apparatus and the inner surfaces of the vessel into at least one        treatment liquid by filling, at least partially, the vessel by        means of said filling means,

whereas said immersing step is performed prior, concomitantly orposterior to the spray step,

-   -   treating the inner portions of the medical apparatus by means of        the first treatment system comprising a means for connecting at        least one end piece of the medical apparatus so as to enable        treatment liquid to circulate in its inner portion, preferably a        means for connecting the different end pieces of the medical        apparatus so as to establish a circulation of treatment liquid        in a leak-proof manner,

whereas said treatment step is performed prior, concomitantly orposterior to the spray and/or immersing steps.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the spray stepre-uses the treatment product.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the spray step,respectively the immersing step, re-uses the treatment product used bythe immersing step, respectively the spray step.

According to an alternative feature of the invention, the spray step,respectively the immersing step, uses clean treatment product.

Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention willbecome readily apparent by reference to the detailed description givenbelow for information purposes in relation to drawings in which:

-   -   FIG. 1 represents an open top view of a treatment machine with a        medical apparatus in position,    -   FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of a spray nozzle according        to an embodiment.

According to FIG. 1, a treatment machine 1 can be seen from above, withthe vessel 3 open. A medical apparatus 2 is in position in the vessel,ready for a cleaning/disinfection cycle. According to the invention, thetreatment machine 1 is particularly suited to the treatment of the outerportions of said medical apparatus 2. It also enables at the same timeto treat inner portions of said medical apparatus 2 and is therebyparticularly suitable for the treatment of a medical apparatus 2comprising inner and outer portions to be treated. An endoscope forexample is a flexible medical apparatus, which may have quite variableconformations, but is characterised by one or several connected flexibletubular channels and which should be treated internally as well asexternally.

A treatment machine 1 must meet the regulatory constraints as specifiedin the standards ISO 15883-1 and ISO 15883-4. Thus, a treatment of amedical apparatus must comprise several successive cycles, i.e.cleaning, rinsing and disinfection in a set order, while contactinginner as well as outer portions of the medical apparatus 2 with variouschemicals.

To do so, such a treatment machine 1 contains a hollow vessel 3 capableof receiving said medical apparatus 2. Said vessel may for instancecomprise a lid which can be opened for placing the medical apparatus 2before treatment and removing it after treatment. Said lid can still beclosed in a liquid-proof manner during the operation of the treatmentmachine.

If needed, if the medical apparatus 2 comprises inner portions to betreated, the treatment machine 1 may advantageously comprise a firsttreatment system 4 capable of treating the inner portions of the medicalapparatus 2.

As the volume of the inner portions is reduced most often, it isadvantageously treated by internal circulation of the chemicals. Thefirst treatment system 4 is similar to the prior art and is consequentlynot described in detail here. It comprises a means for connecting atleast one end piece of the medical apparatus so as to enable treatmentliquid to circulate in its inner portion, preferably a means forconnecting the different end pieces of the medical apparatus 2 so as toestablish the circulation of treatment liquid in a leak-proof manner.

The treatment machine 1 still comprises a second treatment systemcapable of treating the outer portions of the medical apparatus 2.

According to the previous art, the outer portions are treated byimmersing, which means that the vessel 3 is filled with the chemicalsused successively during the treatment. Given the necessary volume ofthe vessel 3 to accommodate the medical apparatus 2, which is quitesignificant with respect to the volume effectively occupied by saidmedical apparatus 2, such an embodiment leads to a large and detrimentalconsumption of chemicals.

To remedy this major shortcoming, according to the invention, the secondtreatment system functions following a spray principle. Immersing themedical apparatus 2 into a large volume of chemical is mainly replacedwith spraying using the same chemical, and the amount of chemical isvastly reduced.

Moreover, spraying enables to add to the chemical effect of thetreatment product a mechanical effect which improves the treatment andthus enables to further reduce the necessary amount of chemical.

To perform this spraying operation, the second treatment system includesat least one spray nozzle 6 capable of receiving at least onepressurised treatment liquid/chemical and of projecting vigorously saidtreatment liquid into the volume of the vessel 3.

Spraying thus made enables to treat the outer portions of the medicalapparatus 2. Moreover, it still enables to treat the inner surfaces ofthe vessel 3.

Spraying may be carried out using throughout a spraying phase the sameclean treatment product permanently. This ensures the best possiblequality of treatment.

Alternately, to improve the savings on treatment product still further,it is possible to recycle this treatment product during said phase.Thus, the treatment product can be recovered, for example at the bottomof the vessel 3 where it trickles after being sprayed, to be re-used,via said at least one spray nozzle 6 for being sprayed again during thesame phase.

According to an advantageous embodiment, immersing, at least partially,can be employed in complement to spraying. Said advantageously partialimmersing enables to improve the treatment of the lower section of thevessel 3, hardly achievable directly by spraying by means of said atleast one spray nozzle 6.

Advantageously, for optimal operation of the spray nozzle 6 and limitedusage of chemicals, by immersing is meant immersing the medicalapparatus 2 into an amount of chemicals up to the base 7 of the spraynozzle 7.

Advantageously, immersing is carried out using at least one fillingmeans comprising for instance at least one orifice placed at the bottomof the vessel 3. Other orifices, or the same orifices, may then servefor draining the vessel 3. According to an embodiment, the filling meansmay then be said at least one spray nozzle 6. The sprayed treatmentliquid, flowing after spraying towards the bottom of the vessel 3 andcausing at least partial immersing the medical apparatus 2 and thevessel 3.

When both spraying and immersing steps are used, immersing may takeplace before, during or after spraying. The two steps sharing the samevessel 3 must be conducted with the same type of treatment liquid, ifthey temporally overlap each other at least partially.

As regards the treatment of the inner portions of the medical apparatus2, it is completely independent. It may consequently be performedbefore, during or after the spraying and/or immersing steps.Advantageously, treating the inner portions of the medical apparatus 2is made in a leak-proof manner. Impermeability still enables to useconcomitantly types of treatment liquid which are on the one handdifferent for the inner portions and on the other for the outer portionsof the medical apparatus 2. Alternately, to improve the savings ontreatment product, treating the inner portions of the medical apparatus2 is not conducted in a leakproof manner, whereas the treatment productused then flows to the bottom of the vessel 3. Said treatment productused may then be collected and re-used, for example via said at leastone spray nozzle 6 for spraying.

To obtain the best possible quality of treatment, spraying and immersingare advantageously performed with clean treatment product.

Alternately, to improve the savings on treatment product, spraying mayre-use the treatment product used by immersing, before or duringspraying. Similarly, it may be envisioned to re-use for immersing, thetreatment product used, before or during, by spraying.

Numerous configurations of treatment machine have been studied,comprising different shapes of vessel and one or several spray nozzles 6arranged in different locations.

A particularly efficient configuration in terms of treatment withrespect to the consumption of chemical proved to be a vesselsubstantially elliptical in shape, whereas the second treatment systemcomprises two spray nozzles 6 more or less arranged in the focal pointsof said ellipse. Such an arrangement enables the spray nozzles 6 toproduce efficient spraying of the chemicals throughout the vessel 3,while maintaining a reduced distance between a spray nozzle 6 and themedical apparatus 2, to guarantee the mechanical cleaning effect. Suchan arrangement enables placing the medical apparatus 2 forming an O oran 8 around both spray nozzles 6.

As illustrated on FIG. 2, a spray nozzle 6, according to an embodiment,comprises a base 7 for fastening the spray nozzle 6 to the bottom of thevessel 3. Said nozzle 7 still enables fluidic connection of the spraynozzle 6 to a device for dispensing a pressurised treatment liquid. Thetreatment liquid thus received by the base 7 from the spray nozzle 6runs through a substantially cylindrical central duct 10 arranged alongthe axis of the spray nozzle 6. It enables to supply said cleaningliquid to a diffuse 8 in the extension of said base 7. The diffuser 8enables the projection of said treatment liquid throughout the volume ofthe vessel 3 and over the outer portions of the medical apparatus 2.

According to an embodiment, the base 7 comprises a removable fasteningmeans 12 enabling the fixed mounting thereof to the bottom of the vessel3. Thus the base 7, as well as the spray nozzle 6 in its entirety, areheld immobile, during the cleaning operation of the treatment machine 1.The same fastening means 12 enables disassembly of the spray nozzle 6,so as to clean it or, if required, to replace it. This fastening means12 comprises, for instance, a screw- or still bayonet-type,advantageously a quarter turn-type device, to guarantee reliablefastening as well as quick assembly and disassembly without using tools.

According to an embodiment, the diffuser 8 is a substantiallycylindrical and extends over a large portion of the height of the vessel3. The cylindrical surface is advantageously drilled with a plurality ofholes 9. Each of said holes 9 links the central axial duct 10 made inthe spray nozzle 6 outside the spray nozzle 6. Said central duct 10 isconnected to a device for dispensing pressurised treatment liquidthrough which said treatment liquid arrives. The suited pressure oftreatment liquid, combined with the holes 9 enables to create aprojection of said treatment liquid in all the directions concerned bysaid holes 9. The arrangement of the holes 9; distributed evenly overthe whole height of the diffuser 8, as well as angularly distributedevenly over the whole periphery of the diffuser 8, or still along aneven spatial distribution over the whole cylindrical surface of thediffuser 8, enables omnidirectional diffusion of the chemical throughoutthe volume of the vessel 3.

In a preferred embodiment, the axes of the holes 9 are radial andperpendicular to the axis of the diffuser 8.

Planar apertures made in the diffuser 8 provide according to analternative embodiment a comparable radially omnidirectional diffusion,but make the diffuser 8 too brittle.

Conversely, an arrangement of the holes 9 in quincunx enables regulararrangement while preserving the structural solidity.

An adapted pressure of treatment liquid, according to the cumulativetotal surface area of the holes 9 and orifices 11, enables to obtainjets of treatment liquid which are strong enough to produce a suitableeffect of mechanical cleaning. Said pressure may advantageously bedetermined empirically.

Another embodiment for obtaining radially omnidirectional diffusion is ause of a spray nozzle 6/of a rotary diffuser 8. Such a rotation can beproduced by a motorised system or by the effect of the circulation ofthe pressurised treatment liquid. However within the secured context ofthe treatment of a medical apparatus 2, one such approach has theserious shortcoming in that it may cause a failure by stopping/blockingthe rotation, which is difficult to detect, and the result may be a non-or poorly treated medical apparatus 2 even though it may have beensubjected to a supposedly complete, seemingly complying and certifiedtreatment. To do so according to the invention, a diffuser 8, immovablerelative to the vessel 3 and thus immovable relative to the medicalapparatus 2, during the operation of the treatment machine 1, isadvantageous preferred. This realised by a spray nozzle 6 where thediffuser 8 is immovable relative to the base 7, whereas the base 7 isimmovable relative to the vessel 3, so that the holes 9 remain immovablerelative to the vessel 3. The omnidirectional spraying is then obtainedby a plurality of regularly distributed holes.

According to an embodiment, the holes 9 have a diameter of 1 mm.

According to an illustrative embodiment, the holes 9 are 140 in number,spread regularly on a surface of cylindrical diffuser 8 of outerdiameter smaller than 18 or of height 45 mm. Which means a hole densityof 140 holes for a surface area of approx. 25.5 cm², i.e. more or less5.5 holes/cm².

According to an advantageous embodiment, the distal end of the diffuser8 is drilled with an orifice 11. Said orifice 11 links the axial duct 10outside the diffuser 8 of the spray nozzle 6. This enables to spray theceiling of the vessel 3. This provides efficient treatment of saidceiling and completes the spraying performed by the holes 9.

The spray nozzle 6 must sustain the corrosion and the chemicalaggressions of the chemicals used as treatment liquids. Moreover, itmust hold the high pressure which may be used for the treatment liquid.For cleaning purposes, the disassembled spray nozzle 6 mayadvantageously be cleaned/disinfected in a high temperature stove. Towithstand all these constraints, the spray nozzle 6 is advantageouslymade of stainless steel, for example of 316 L-type.

We claim:
 1. A processing machine for a medical apparatus that includesone or more connected flexible tubular channels having inner portionsand outer portions, the processing machine comprising: a vessel having asidewall and a bottom wall that collectively define a hollow cavityconfigured to receive the medical apparatus; a first treatment systemconfigured to treat the inner portions of the medical apparatus, thefirst treatment system comprising a connection portion connecting atleast one tubular channel end piece of the medical apparatus and beingconfigured to circulate treatment liquid to the inner portion of the atleast one tubular channel end piece; and a second treatment systemconfigured to treat the outer portions of the medical apparatus, thesecond treatment system comprising: two spray nozzles projecting axiallyupwardly from the bottom wall of the vessel to define a first medicaldevice receiving space between the sidewall and a first one of the twospray nozzles, a second medical device receiving space between thesidewall and a second one of the two spray nozzles, and a third medicaldevice receiving space between the first and second spray nozzles; andat least one fill element configured to partially fill the vessel withat least one treatment liquid to at least partially immerse the outerportions of the medical apparatus in the treatment liquid, wherein thefirst, second, and third medical device receiving spaces are eachconfigured to receive a portion of a flexible endoscope therein forperforming a cleaning operation on the flexible endoscope.
 2. Theprocessing machine of claim 1, wherein the second treatment system isconfigured to perform a spray step by spraying the outer portions of themedical device apparatus with the treatment liquid using the two spraynozzles and an immersing step by at least partially immersing the outerportions of the medical apparatus in the treatment liquid using the atleast one fill element, and the spray step re-uses the treatment liquidused by the immersing step, and the immersing step re-uses the treatmentproduct used by the spray step.
 3. The processing machine of claim 2,wherein the second treatment system is configured to perform theimmersing step prior to or concomitantly with the spray step.
 4. Theprocessing machine of claim 2, wherein the two spray nozzles eachcomprise a base fastened to the bottom wall of the vessel, and theimmersing step is performed by filling the vessel with the treatmentliquid up to the base of each spray nozzle.
 5. The processing machine ofclaim 1, wherein the medical apparatus is a flexible endoscope.
 6. Theprocessing machine of claim 5, wherein the flexible endoscope ispositioned in the processing machine to form an O-shape passing throughthe first medical device receiving space and the second medical devicereceiving space.
 7. The processing machine of claim 5, wherein theflexible endoscope is positioned in the processing machine to form an8-shape passing through the first medical device receiving space, thesecond medical device receiving space, and the third medical devicereceiving space.
 8. The processing machine of claim 1, wherein the twospray nozzles each include a distal end having an orifice formedtherethrough.
 9. The processing machine of claim 1, wherein the twospray nozzles are held immobile to the bottom wall during a cleaningoperation.
 10. The processing machine of claim 1, wherein the two spraynozzles each comprise a base, and the base comprises a removable deviceconfigured to fasten to the bottom wall of the vessel, to lock the spraynozzle in place during the operation of the processing machine, whileenabling removal of the spray nozzle.
 11. The processing machine ofclaim 1, wherein the vessel defines an elliptical shape.
 12. Theprocessing machine of claim 11, wherein the elliptical shape defines twofocal points, the first one of the two spray nozzles is located at afirst of the two focal points, and the second one of the two spraynozzles is located at a second of the two focal points.
 13. Theprocessing machine of claim 1, wherein the cleaning operation comprisesspraying at least one treatment liquid on the flexible endoscope via atleast one of the two spray nozzles.